Insta-Party

I'm having a holiday party tonight and, as of yesterday, I hadn't prepared AT ALL. What's a girl to do? I phoned socializing and events expert Allana Baroni (her website is getsocial.com) for some fast and fabulous (and cheap!) ideas.

Here are her best tips:

Make a fun first impression with a wreath (square boxwood wreaths are hip and unexpected). Place a quirky photo in the center. (Allana once used a photo of her family next to polar bears at the zoo.)

To "up the wow-factor without a lot of hassle," Allana suggests purchasing some dramatic wallpaper or wrapping paper—say, bright red. Place blue painter's tape along the area you'd like the paper to cover, then affix the paper to it with double-sided tape. After the party, you can remove the paper without damaging your walls.

Make an interactive piece of art by hanging Frames wallpaper in the manner described above. On the paper—preprinted with picture frames—you can affix Polaroid photos and let guests scrawl messages. You can buy it here, but I cheated and make my own with a roll of plain white paper.

Rather than spending a ton on flower arrangements, you can buy seasonal fruit and vegetables in bulk and use them as centerpieces. I loaded up on lemons and limes, although I imagine they'll be chopped up for cocktails pretty quickly once the party starts.

Fill jars of varying heights with water and float one flower in each. A dozen cheap red stems goes a long way with this impressive-looking trick.

Bring the outside in. Create one of those giant, hotel-style arrangements by using clippings from your yard. (Since I don't have a yard, I picked up some evergreen branches at a florist in my neighborhood for $5.)

Make the food interactive to get guests involved in the party. Allana suggests a panini station, and I love setting up fondue.

One last suggestion: Allana (who's also a spokesperson for Claritin) keeps guests from rooting through her medicine cabinet by placing a small basket with a "survival kit" in her bathroom. Stock it with hand lotion, an OTC painkiller and a nondrowsy allergy medication. "The most gracious thing a host can do is realize that some people suffer from allergies," she says. "The key is to have something nondrowsy, so guests can have a good time and get home safely."—Jennifer Conrad

What's your favorite fast-and-fabulous decoration? Help me out in Comments.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Woman's Day participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.